Car-fender



(No Model.)

H. PARPERT.

GAR FENDER.

No. 554,301. Patented Feb. 11, 1896.

I Jl'erma'nn P077271. I

351 72 elf/tummy Witmeakeq UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

HERMANN IARPERT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CAR-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,301, dated February 11, 1896. Application filed June 6, 1895. Serial No. 551,857. (No modeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, l-IERMANN PARPERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car- Fenders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in car-fenders; and it consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my complete invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of the supporting-frame. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail showing the basal transverse buffer board or brush and a por: tion of the platform co-operating with it, and Fig. 4: is a section taken on the line :10 c of Fig. 1.

The object of my invention is to construct a lifeguard or fender for streetcars which shall be life-saving in every sense of the word, and one which will cause a minimum amount of injury to the person or object struck by a moving car. To this end I have devised a fender which in detail may be described as follows:

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the platform of a car on either side of which and below the floor thereof is secured an angular bracket 2 reinforced by a brace 3. To the vertical members of the brackets are secured by suitable clamps or clips 4 the vertical members of a rectangular and adjustable supporting-frame 5. At the front end of the frame 5 and between the free-ends of the horizontal lateral members thereof is mounted a transverse rod 6 forming the hinge for the pivoted platform 7 of the fender. This platform is slightly inclined when in its normal position, as seen in full lines in Fig. 1, the rear end of the platform having pivoted thereto the vertical extension 8. At either end of the hinge between the platform 7 and its extension is mounted a roller 9 adapted to ride over the rails, as subsequently explained.

The platform 7 and extension 8 are held normally in the inclined positions shown in Fig. 1 by the inwardly-extending and inclined shoulders 10 (see Fig. 4) of suitablesupporting spring-arms 11 secured on either side of the frame 5 to the horizontal lateral members thereof. The inclined shoulders 10 co-operate with beveled plates 12 carried by the platform 7.

The spring-arms 1] are sufficiently stiff to support the weight of the platform 7 and its pivoted extension, which latter rests against thevertical portion of the supporting-frame 5; but when a person or object is thrown upon the platform the weight of such person will cause the platform to be depressed against the resiliency of the spring-arms 11, causing the latter by their co-operation with the bevelplates 12 to be forced outwardly and thus release their hold on the platform, (see dotted lines in Fig. 4,) which latter drops to its lowest position, allowing the rollers 9 to support the same 011 the track and move with the car; Should the spring supporting-arms break for any reason, the platform with its extension 8 can be temporarily supported by the hooks 14: carried by the supporting-frame and adapted to seize the top rail 15 of the extension 8.

Projecting outwardly from the hinge-bar 6 are arms 16, which carry at their free ends a basal transverse buffer-board 17 provided with soft bristles 18, the whole constituting a soft brush which materially reduces the striking force of a blow when a person is struck by an advancing car. Each end of the board 17 is turned a slight distance backward, so as to form a short curved wing 19 encompassing the corners of the supporting-frame. \Vhen the platform falls to its lowest position upon the landing of a person tripped upon the same, the buffer board 17 assumes the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. To the sides of the supporting-frame are secured the in clined lateral protecting guide-braces 20. As seen from the drawings, the platform and its extension, the buffer-board and lateral protecting-braces are all provided with soft bristles or brushes 21 secured to suitable slats. By this arrangement a soft bed is made for the unfortunate who may have been hurled onto the platform by a collision with a mov- I00 ing car, and as such a person sinks into the brushes the danger of serious injury is reduced to a minimum,

Having described my invention, What I claim is 1. In a car-fender, a suitable supportingframe, a platform pivoted at the forward end thereof, spring-arms carried by the frame for supporting the platform in an inclined position, a pivoted extension forming a part of said platform, rollers carried by the platform and adapted to come in contact with the rails upon the release of the platform by the arms, substantially as set forth.

2. In a car-fender, a suitable vertically-adjustable supporting-fran'ie, spring-arms carried by the same, an inclined shoulder on .each arm, a suitable platform hinged to the frame, a bevel-plate forming a part of the platform and adapted to co-operate with the inclined shoulders of the supporting-arms, and a basal transverse buffer-board extending from the hinge-line of said platform, substantially as set forth.

In a car-fender, a suitable supportingframe, lateral guide brace-bars provided with brushes carried by said frame, a platform and a hinged extension provided with brushes pivoted to the supporting-frame, a transverse basal buffer provided with brushes, spring supporting-arms for the platform, and supplemental supporting-hooks carried by the frame and adapted to seize the extension in case of breakage of the supporting-arms, substantially as set forth.

4. In a car-fender, a suitable supportingframe, a platform hinged to the forward portion of said frame, and having an upper brushsurfaee, an extension hinged to the rear portion of the platform and also having a brushsurface, a hinged buffer provided With brushes, and means for holding the rear end of the platform in an elevated position, sub stantially as set forth.

5, In a ear-fender, a suitable supportingframe, a platform carried thereby, brushes covering the upper surface of said platform, and a transverse basal buffer provided with brushes, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of witnesses.

HERMANN PARPERT.

Vitnesses:

ALFRED A. MATHEY, E. STAREK. 

